1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a computer implemented method and apparatus for managing organizational resources. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for generating a social network model for optimizing use of organizational resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
A social group is a formal or informal collection of people who interact with one another, often share a common identity, and accept roles, expectations, and obligations as members of the group. A formal social group is a group whose members interact, in part, according to predefined rules and within established hierarchies. For example, a formal social group may be members of a department within a corporate organization, a government, or a professional sports team. An informal social group, on the other hand, is a group whose members often interact without regard to formal rules. For example, an informal social group may be a family, classmates, or friends. An informal social group may also develop within a formal social group. For example, co-workers of a department may also interact with one another about matters unrelated to their work. Thus, co-workers who regularly have lunch with one another or who participate in a monthly book club form informal social groups.
A social group may be modeled by a social network model. Existing social network models are models that describe personal or professional relationships between individuals. Social networks represent both a collection of ties between people and the strength of those ties. Social network models assist in determining how information moves throughout groups. In other words, social network models describe the interpersonal relationships among members of a social group. Often, a social network model is depicted as a collection of nodes, each representing a member of the social group. Further, each node is connected to one or more other nodes by lines.
Because the information presented in existing social network models is limited to only the ties between members of a social group, existing social network models have limited utility for managing and allocating organizational resources. Organizational resources are the resources of a formal or informal social group. Organizational resources include, for example, human resources, financial resources, and all tangible or intangible resources that may be possessed by an organization or the members of the organization.
As such, currently used methods for managing and allocating organizational resources either have been limited to assignment of resources by departmental managers without regard to social groups and the attributes and characteristics of its members. Thus, resource allocation, such as the assignment of people to complete tasks, is inefficient and thus costly.